UPDATE: Monster storms here now

UPDATE: Monster storms here now

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 4:40 pm, severe thunderstorms were detected on the weather radar near Noosa Heads and Proston. These thunderstorms are moving towards the northeast. They are forecast to affect the ranges south of Gayndah by 5:15 pm and the area north of Goomeri, the area south of Biggenden and the area north of Kilkivan by 5:45 pm.

Damaging winds, heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and large hailstones are likely.

GYMPIE and Cooloola, right up to Rainbow Beach and Fraser Island, are now directly in the path of huge storms which have already caused major property damage and flash flooding in areas from Toowoomba to Ipswich and Mt Tambourine.

The Bureau of Meteorology has now included Rainbow Beach and Fraser Island in its list of areas likely to be hit soon.

A separate warning has been issued for Noosa and parts of Gympie, Redlands, Western Downs, South Burnett, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane City Council Areas.

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 4:05 pm, severe thunderstorms were detected on the weather radar near Maroochydore, Cleveland, Caloundra, the area southwest of Caloundra, waters off Caloundra and Lake Boondooma. These thunderstorms are moving towards the east to northeast. They are forecast to affect Noosa Heads, Gympie, the area south of Gympie, the area northwest of Noosa Heads, the area southeast of Gympie and the area east of Gympie by 4:35 pm and the area north of Noosa Heads, the area northeast of Gympie, Lake Cootharaba, Lake Cooloola, Goomboorian and Toolara Forest by 5:05 pm.

Other areas across the Wide Bay and Burnett are also in the path of violent and often destructive winds, flooding rains and golf ball sized hail stones.

"Heavy thunderstorms are pushing off the far southeast coast, however extending north into the Wide Bay and Burnett.

"Across the Central Highlands and Coalfields, a supercell is shifting towards Rolleston.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and large hailstones over the next several hours in the Wide Bay and Burnett and parts of the Darling Downs and Granite Belt and Southeast Coast districts.